November 22nd 2015.

Of late I’ve renewed a love affair with some English ladies. A bit before their time in character and behaviour but very endearing and enduring. Among these is one Charlotte.

Charlotte Brontë was born on the 21^st of April 1816 at Thornton near Bradford in Yorkshire. Her father was an Irish, Church of England cleric. Charlotte was the oldest of three surviving girls her other sisters being Emily and Anne. In 1854 she married her father’s curate Rev. AB Nicholls and died on 31^st March the following year from pregnancy difficulties. Charlotte’s first novel was “The Professor” written in 1845. The novel was published 2 years after her death in 1857. A most engaging novel is “The Professor”. It is essentially a life and love story.                              

The tale is that of William Crimsworth and is written in the first person. William declines the offer of a position in the church as it involves marrying his repugnant cousin and decides to go off to seek his fortune elsewhere. He has a rich brother Edward in trade and seeks his assistance to give him a start in the business.

Unfortunately brotherly love is in short supply and his sibling treats him with disdain and contempt and generally makes life impossible. The reason for this appears to be that William is well educated and his older brother resents this fact. Enter Mr Hunsden. Mr Hunsden is an acquaintance of William who has had the assistance of the young man on a previous occasion. Using his influence William’s new friend lobbies on his behalf to secure a position as a schoolteacher in Belgium.

From this position he secures a part time teaching position at a local girl’s school and this is when his confused romantic life begins. Initially he falls for the principal of the girl’s school but subsequently finds out she is a bit of a bitch. His attention then turns to Frances, an embroidery teacher at the same school. When the principal discovers this turn of events she dismisses Frances and refuses to reveal her whereabouts.

Eventually William is reunited with his sweetheart, in a graveyard of all places, and they both return to England to open their own school and live happily ever after next door to his former benefactor Mr Hunsden.

This is the ultimate in brevity in summary but the book was a most enjoyable read and written with remarkable style.

This novel and others like it tend to encourage one to reassess the comparison between the modern and the ‘classic’ novel. While much modern writing is remarkably engaging only time will determine whether it has matured into the classic category or otherwise.